So I have always been taken fishing (other peeps providing gear) and I am now venturing on my own. I am gonna be fishing bays and intercostal areas in a kayak. So as I start to gear up I am struck by all the variables out there. So let’s start with a simple one. Why would I chose braided over monofilament line? I suspect I will fish live bait when feasible as my expierence with lures is minimal. Thanks.

braid .. when casting distance and line capacity to fight a fish are important. has no line stretchingmono .. better when none of the above matters, better abrasion resistance

from a kayak, bait or lure, you dont need casting distance (you can paddle next to the fish to catch him, go as shallow as the fish can). if you are bay fishing, you dont need line capacity (release anchor and go for a sleigh ride)

I prefer braided. It's lighter and thinner and casts farther. You can use much stronger line and it is still lighter and thinner. You have to not crank your drag up all the way as the rod and reel aren't made for that. When I get snagged I can pull it out with 30 lb line most of the time. That's what I really like. However, you have to grab the line directly and not with your bare hand or it will slice you open. If you try to yank it out with your rod you will break your gear.

I tried braided line on my spinning reels for two years and then gave it up. I could not cast as far and thought tying knots and clipping the line was more of a hassle. Braid is definitely strong but I felt the negatives outweighed any positives. I’ve also tried fluorocarbon and copolymer lines and always went went back to mono.

Try braid on one reel and mono on a second reel and do a side-by-side test to see which one you prefer.

Personally I would go with mono… Don’t get me wrong braid is great you can’t beat the sensitivity and like previously mentioned it last a really long time but I’ve gone back and forth between the two and i always find myself going back to mono.

If you have the money for it don’t forget about flurocarbon.... That’s some legit stuff

Both will work. For me, monofilament handles better on a levelwind reel, and braid handles better on a spinning reel. Others prefer braid on levelwinds, and some like monofilament on spinning reels. There's no right or wrong answer. Find someone with both on the type of reel you will be using and see which you prefer for yourself. You'll probably find that line twist is more of a problem with monofilament on a spinning reel. If you don't know someone with braid on your type reel, start with monofilament (it's less expensive) and try braid when the opportunity presents itself; you're bound to fish with someone using braid before long.

I use braid on most of my reels. I have a couple spooled with braid backed mono for bottom rigging or specialized fishing when I like the stretch to help stop short strikes and not jerk the bait or lure from the mouth of "nibbling" fish.

Fuboys2002 wrote:So I have always been taken fishing (other peeps providing gear) and I am now venturing on my own. I am gonna be fishing bays and intercostal areas in a kayak. So as I start to gear up I am struck by all the variables out there. So let’s start with a simple one. Why would I chose braided over monofilament line? I suspect I will fish live bait when feasible as my expierence with lures is minimal. Thanks.

In addition to what's been said braid can last a year or more if you don't fish a lot (half dozen times a year) and keep it stored inside out of the sun. I use 30lb braid but tie on a 25 lb fluorocarbon liter. If you're using it with a spinning reel make sure and manually flip the bell before each cast. If not it will twist up the braided line and cause lots of issues.

For the OP question, you choose braid over mono because for the same diameter, it is 4-5 times stronger than mono, so you can put 3-4 times as much braid on the same spool as mono. Or for the same capacity, you can make it elephant-proof (why most people choose it).

I've never gone there either, and have visions of my buddy's 40-lb braid twisting up on his spinning reel during our coast trip last fall.

I'm totally happy inshore fishing with 12-15-lb mono. Also not too shy to fish 4-lb and 10-lb copolymer lines on the right rods. I prefer copolymer lines because they give you a little more toughness (knot strength) and abrasion resistance than high-strength nylon or fluorocarbon. They also have correct neutral density - monofilament nylon floats, fluorocarbon sinks. But the good copolymer costs a lot - Seaguar, Yozuri, and a brand from Australia, Kamikaze (my 4-lb salt XUL). Another reason to use fluorocarbon or copolymer is both lines become invisible in the water.

I tried some cheap 10-lb copolymer (Berkley) and it ended our day catching fish at Marker 60 pass, when the necking/stretching line slid inside the spool wraps and locked up my daughter's reel. Big sheepshead did that. It was OK enough, we had a stringer of schoolie specs and had been a successful morning. But of course never bought that line again.

Berkley still makes good monofilament nylon. Seaguar makes good everything, and is still the first choice for fluorocarbon. 12-lb Red line as bing mentioned.

Nylon or fluorocarbon monofilament are offered in bulk spools (1000 yds) and it's smart to buy them that way. There can be a few reasons that cause you to respool a reel on a fishing trip, especially a coast trip. Last fall, had to re-spool a spinning reel I loaned to a buddy, and my baitcaster bird-nested when it fell of the rod in a cast (had a spooled spare reel ready to go). Copolymer lines, we can probably only afford in a single-reel-charge pack, and as far as I know, that's the only way they're offered.

This is my salt XUL, which I use for dock-fishing at night. Made to throw 5g, protect 2-lb test, and a strong enough butt to horse fish around - I've sight-fished (and landed) 22" and 23" specs over green lights with it. It's also go-to for super-light bait rig, Mansfield mauler 4' leader and bare hook for tiny live shrimp (the smaller the better). It has 4-lb Kamikaze copolymer (only 4-lb copolymer made anywhere).

I agree that it is a personal preference. I use braid on all of my spinning reels and it is a love/hate relationship. I love the sensitivity and can feel even the softest of strikes. I hate it because it tangles much more easily and is near impossible to untangle when knotted. And unlike mono which you can cut with your teeth, braid requires either super sharp scissors or a super sharp knife to make a clean cut. Like someone else posted, put braid on one setup and mono on another and fish both. I would suggest doing it in the same day so you are fishing the same conditions and then decide which you prefer.

SWFinatic wrote:Ron Mc I've seen guys use those line cutters. Where'd you get yours?

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Japanese call these knives kiridashi (useful little knife). The Kiku Matsuda, I hounded him by e-mail for a year until he got a new billet of VG-10, and he sold me the last knife from the prior billet. Ni + VG-10 Damascus, and salt-proof. I just checked Japanese Knife Direct - none for sale there. It was $95, not too bad for Japan artisan work, and a lifetime salt knife. Spring Creek Knife Works sold me the tiny carbon Damascus, always around my neck in freshwater. I think it was $30. I searched my original link from 2011 and it doesn't work, but found this: http://www.behindthemuletradingcompany.com/Both knives are razors

I would google kiridashi and neck knife and see who offers what - many good knife makers in the US.

i keep braid on all my baitcasters, 20lb to 40lb power pro super slick. and on my spinning reels i have them split, half mono 10-17lb and other half of my spinning reels with braid from 15--to 30lb, i always have a knife but it seems to dull quick.. cheap knife :/ so i always keep a torch lighter or windproof lighter on my it makes quick work of braided line also